Severe weather impacts metro Atlanta

ATLANTA — Monday morning began with light rain throughout metro Atlanta, but the area is at risk for severe weather later in the day.

"So, be prepared at any point in the afternoon to the late evening hours for some of those stronger thunderstorms," Severe Weather Team 2 meteorologist Karen Minton said.

Pockets of heavy rain began late in the morning and intensified throughout the day.

"The cold front makes a push through later this afternoon, and that gives us the potential for some of those storms to turn severe," Minton said.

In midtown, Channel 2's Eric Philips spotted crews clearing a tree that fell on a car at Charles Allen Drive and 8th Street in midtown. There were no injuries, but the car was badly damaged. Drivers had to be rerouted after the incident, which happened near Grady High School.

The wet weather might have played a role in a crash that caused a woman to slam into a MARTA bus stop on Piedmont Road in Buckhead.

Atlanta firefighters rushed to the scene to cut the woman out of the car, fire officials told Channel 2's Ryan Young.  She hit a tree, then bounced into a trash can before hitting a bus stop, officials said. A man was waiting at the bus stop when the driver crashed into it. Officials said the driver missed him by a few inches.

The man at the bus stop got a few cuts from shattered glass and the driver was taken to the hospital for injuries. The driver's car was totaled.

On the northside, Channel 2's Tom Regan saw lane closures on Interstate 75 South near Windy Hill Road in Cobb County.

Channel 2's Richard Elliot spotted  a crash involving five tractor trailers at Interstate 285 North at North Decatur Road in DeKalb. Officials are checking to see if weather played a role in the crash that left people with minor injuries.Traffic has been diverted to Highway 78 eastbound.

Soggy conditions aren't expected to stick around much longer. Temperatures are expected to peak in the mid-70s, and the rain will clear out overnight.

"Pretty much after midnight, things start to settle down for us," Minton said.

Clouds are expected to clear out throughout the week, and temperatures are expected to rise to the lower 80s.

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WSBTV